Geraint Thomas ahead of Lewis Hamilton for Sports Personality award

Despite Hamilton now officially the joint second most successful driver in the sport’s history, remains only third favourite at Betfred to be the 2018 Sports Personality of the Year.

The Mercedes driver finished fourth in Sunday’s Mexico Grand Prix, but that was enough to secure the title after yet another near-perfect season for the 33-year-old.

Hamilton is now a 5/1 shot with us for the award that will be decided by public vote on December 16.

Favourite for the honour, at 13/8, is Geraint Thomas, who was victorious at the Tour de France earlier this year – joining an elite list alongside Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins as the only Brits to ever win the race.

Harry Kane is 3/1 second favourite for the award after leading England to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia this summer, taking home the Golden Boot after finishing the tournament’s top scorer.

A boxer who could be a dark horse for the award is Tyson Fury, at 33/1 with Betfred, should he win his scheduled bout with Deontay Wilder on December 1.

Victory would make the 30-year-old a two-time, unbeaten heavyweight champion and would encapsulate an incredible comeback journey, becoming an advocate for overcoming struggles with mental health and addiction.

Other names in the mix include motorcyclist Jonathan Rea, 28/1 and Southport based golfer Tommy Fleetwood, 33/1.

For the first time in history, the contenders will be revealed on the night live from Birmingham and the public will then be allowed to vote.

Red Bull in turmoil as Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen turn on team and each other

“He [Max] as especially annoyed by missing the pole and by the car, but also by Ricciardo,” Jos Verstappen told Ziggo Sport. “He celebrated his pole position with an exuberance as if he had become world champion. He [Max] was very angry.

“I was not really happy myself but I spoke to him (Max) before bedtime. I tried to calm him down a bit, he was particularly angry because the car was out of order. That pole position is nice, but winning is of course much more important.

“He was greatly exasperated and wanted only one thing, that was winning the race.”

“It was a shame to lose Daniel, I think we could have had a one-two or at least two cars on the podium. And of course then afterwards you want to make sure that yours doesn’t retire. [Now] I’m going home so really happy about that,” said Max.

Ricciardo: “I don’t think frustration is the word anymore,” he said. “Everything feels hopeless. You know, honestly, now where I am, I don’t see the point of coming on Sunday, I don’t see the point of doing the next two races. “I haven’t had a clean race or weekend in so long.

“I’m not superstitious or any of this b*******, but… the car’s cursed. I don’t have any more words. Helpless I think is the best word. Even today, you know, the starts have been good all weekend, the practice starts, and for the race start, it’s all over the place with the pre-start.

“It’s challenging, it’s technical, but there’s also a lot of high-speed corners. It’s a perfect circuit for us.

“From Turn 1 to Turn 9 is just mega. The first bit of it is pretty close to flat and each one subsequently gets tighter so you kind of decelerate as you go through them and if you’re a little bit off on the first one, you pay a big penalty six corners later! So it’s definitely a drivers’ track.”

“In 2015 in the Marussia, the whole time it was wet!” he recalled.

“And in 2013 driving for Caterham as test driver I did one free practice in the dry. But I honestly don’t remember too much about that.”

“It’s a road course, so I don’t want to give the wrong impression that we will always be passing there, but there are two places that will be easier to pass and some others to try,” he said.

“And I think our racing will be exciting because there’s less discrepancy on lap times with our grid, and 20 cars have a chance to win the race.”